Pilot Study

The pilot work for LOSHAK recruited a community-based sample of Kenyan adults aged 45 years and older from Kilifi, Kenya.  The LOSHAK team worked with the ongoing Kaloleni/Rabai Community Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KRHDSS) that surveys 92,000 individuals (18,000 households) every 6 months.  This included 14,389 individuals aged ≥45 years (the LOSHAK sampling frame), in 113 towns and villages.  For the pilot, 203 respondents were recruited from KRHDSS to test feasibility of key LOSHAK measures and data collection protocols.

The LOSHAK feasibility study consisted of the following sections:

1. 1. Self-reported Cognitive Abilities - participants rate their memory, mental abilities such as thinking and problem solving (past and present)

   2. Cognition - Swahili Mental State Examination, 10-word recall, animal naming, logical memory, clock drawing, HRS number series, 10-word list recall (delayed), making change

   3. Psychosocial, Mental Health, and Behavioral - CES-D, loneliness, subjective well-being, ill treatment, life statisfaction, MacArthur Scale, 4-item perceived stress scale, financial strain

   4. Other Self-Reported Health Measures and Risk Factors - general health and disabilities 

   5. Environment - air Pollution, extreme weather vulnerability, food and water insecurity

   6. Economics - household income, retirement, cash transfers, household assets, healthcare costs 

   7. Caregiving Exposure - positive and negative experiences of caregiving

   8. Physiological Measures - blood pressure, grip/hand strength, height, weight, waist and hip circumference

   9. Biomarkers - dried blood spot collection, gauging acceptability of future genomic sequencing